Italian design brand Delvis, in collaboration with PREWORK, presented the group exhibition "Domestic Titan" on December 13th at the Delvis Shanghai flagship showroom on Sinan Road.

A multitude of media from the art and design industries, along with renowned designers, gathered to experience the most resilient titans of the natural world. Gianluca Cozzarolo, Executive Vice President of Brand Design and Product Development at Delvis, was present at the event and was interviewed by TreadsPlus media.

Q:The exhibition held at Delvis' Shanghai showroom collaborates with young artists and focuses on the theme of nature. What considerations were behind this choice?

A: The theme of this exhibition is related to nature, aligning with the current trend of protecting our common home. The idea of collaborating with young artists has been around for a long time. In fact, the collaboration between artists and Delvis is the foundation of our brand.

Collaborating with young artists is not only our active exploration of fresh ideas but also highlights our commitment to continuing tradition, embracing innovation, and daring to reform in our product design philosophy. We believe that by partnering with these energetic and imaginative young creators, we can continually inject inspiration into our product designs, achieving re-creation and sublimation of our products.

Our work, from creativity to creation, is always based on specific principles, just as the materials we use are precious and recyclable. You can see that most of them are recyclable stones, metals, and wood. We are very careful in selecting raw materials because we want to produce products of the highest quality. For example, if you buy a dining table, there is no need to replace it after a year or two because it can accompany you forever. This also means there is no need to cut down other trees. Therefore, on the one hand, we choose natural materials, and on the other hand, we strive to use them once and only once.

Q: Delvis is a brand established in 1984, with a history of 40 years. Compared to other brands, what are the brand advantages of Delvis?

A: Delvis, as an Italian brand with 40 years of history, has accumulated rich experience in the home furnishing field. Our founder, Stefano del Vecchio, came to China 16 years ago, starting the brand's exploration journey in China. We have over 15 years of production experience in China, which enables us to better understand the needs of the Chinese market and provide more competitive products and services.

Our advantage lies in "Mind in Italy," that is, designed in Italy, manufactured in China. We have Italian equipment, technical experts, and a design team to ensure the quality and design of our products. We can respond quickly to customer needs, offering shorter production cycles, faster delivery times, and more competitive prices.

Q: Since Delvis entered China 16 years ago, what market changes has the brand experienced? For example, are there differences in the age, profession, and preferences of the customer base?

A: Over the past 15 years, the Chinese home furnishings market has undergone significant changes. The government's increased environmental awareness and improved regulations have driven the quality enhancement of Chinese manufacturing. Delvis has actively adapted to market changes and obtained a series of environmental certifications—we hold a complete set of certificates, from water recycling certifications to non-toxic paint certifications, witnessing the transformation of the market environment in this regard.

From the consumer perspective, we have noticed that today's Chinese consumers are increasingly appreciating design and understanding the value of materials. This may be due to their years of overseas travel and experiences in the world outside China. Of course, during that special period when people couldn't go out, it also helped in a way because people at home began to want beautiful items in their homes, creating an exotic atmosphere, allowing these items to constantly remind them of the memories they had around the world.

Therefore, today's consumers are more focused on beauty and design, which was not the case before. I don't know if this is due to generational changes, but it is certain that people now understand design and the value of products.

This is reflected in every city in China, whether it is the home environment or outdoor spaces. I believe that China has already become a country that values design, whether in buildings or parks, which has provided us with much inspiration. I am sure many designers and artists are astonished by the surrounding design when they first come to China. This aspect is great for our work.

Q: In the 40 years of the brand's development, what changes and replacements have there been in the product series?

A: For us, doing just one product for 40 years is not our style. Our goal is to create excellence, which we consider one of the most important things. We enjoy creating good products in our work. For instance, Delvis Unlimited is our brand in Italy and a sister brand to Delvis in China. Everyone knows that Stefano (the founder of Delvis) is an art enthusiast, a super art collector, and an artist. Therefore, I believe the creation of Delvis Unlimited is, in a way, a report of his work over the years. Unlimited in Italy is an exceptional existence; it's like an art gallery where each product is unique and collectible. I believe this is also a way for Stefano to showcase the 40-year history of the brand.

Q: Speaking of Unlimited, what are the differences between Shanghai and Milano? What is the design concept of Shanghai?

A: Unlimited Shanghai and Unlimited Milano are, of course, directly connected, which is especially important for our flagship stores. In Italy, Unlimited is akin to a showcase for the brand; many of the products we see here belong to the same series as those in Italy.

Unlimited Shanghai is still evolving, and it will be a great project for us in the future. However, we also strive to keep these two parts relatively independent. For example, if someone wants products from Unlimited in Italy, they can directly purchase them from Italy—the customer selects the product and pays the corresponding fee.

In Shanghai, we bring its sister—under the same guidance of Stefano, offering many design-rich products. These products will be designed by Italian designers, and we are also considering collaborating with designers from other parts of the world. I also want to try working with outstanding young designers from China to help them grow in this field.

Additionally, here the product prices will be more affordable. They have good designs but not the expensive prices of collectibles. So this project is not 100% finalized yet, and there are still many possibilities in the future. Therefore, to reiterate, if a customer wants to purchase products from Unlimited Milano, it is entirely possible. This new Unlimited Shanghai was born in the present and is continuously growing.

Q: Are all the products manufactured locally in China, or are they imported from other countries like Italy?

A: Delvis is made in China. We have our own factory and technical experts. Although we are not fully industrialized, as mentioned earlier, what sets us apart from other Italian brands is our ability to customize each product. This means not every product has to be identical; we can change surface treatments and offer personalized customization based on customer needs, such as making a dining table to the customer's specified dimensions.

This approach fully leverages resources and the advantages of China. In this (furniture manufacturing) industry, I am the third generation of my family—my grandfather was a carpenter, my father owned a furniture business, and as the third generation, I grew up in the factory, thoroughly understanding the production processes and product quality. I must admit that the quality of Chinese manufacturing today can fully rival that of Italian manufacturing, with very little difference. We don't need to envy Italian-made products, and sometimes the quality of Chinese manufacturing is even better and more meticulous.

The quality of Chinese manufacturing is indeed excellent. I am gradually becoming part of China; my wife is Chinese, we have two children, and now more than half of my family members are Chinese. I love China; it is a beautiful country with excellent manufacturing quality, and the people here are hardworking, willing to grow, and full of energy.

Q: Could you specifically talk about the custom services mentioned earlier for Delvis?

A: As mentioned earlier, all products containing wood can have custom surface treatments. We have a set of processes for customers to choose from, and we can also customize according to customer requirements. Customers can provide samples for our reference. The same applies to metal materials; we have 5-10 different processes. Customers can choose from our existing leather and fabric series, or they can have their own requirements. We can even customize products based on the room dimensions provided by customers, including sofas, dining tables, beds, and so on. The ability to provide such customized services is due to our over 15 years of production experience in China.

Q: Are Delvis products more applicable in residential or commercial spaces?

A: From residential to commercial spaces, our brand can offer corresponding products. We are already advancing cooperation projects with hotels and have just completed a project for a jewelry store on the Bund in Shanghai. In fact, our business model allows us to meet all space needs. We have also started producing outdoor furniture and are gradually gaining a foothold in the Chinese market. I don't know if you've seen the beautiful terrace upstairs, which we use for events in the spring and to showcase our outdoor furniture series. In short, our products can meet both residential and commercial space needs.

Q: Our brand has established flagship stores in Shanghai and Beijing. Given the current economic downturn, why did you choose to open such a flagship store in Shanghai, and what are your expectations for the Chinese market?

A: Despite facing challenges over the past three years, we believe that the Chinese market has immense potential. The flagship store in Shanghai opened a year and a half ago, and our Beijing flagship store opened two months ago. Our team has also been revitalized with new talents—Gianpietro is excellent, and Karen is fantastic and creative. In 2025, we hope to continue growing by opening at least two new stores through joint ventures. We will participate in the Design Week in Shenzhen in March and the Shanghai Furniture Fair in September, expanding our business scale and increasing our brand recognition.

Our dream is for the brand to be known for its "design" and "quality." We do not aim to have an exaggerated number of designs because we are not a fast-fashion design brand. We hope to be recognized for our more symbolic products. We will continue to delve into new materials, fabrics, and designs.